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t. "|lTAZ D*F GiirTr (Pt.tB
agents.
William E. Holley, Maryville, E.
^William*, Colosse, New York.
INDIANS.
S narrative, which w'e have in-
bcloiv, of n visit some years fl
at) interesting and humane cr-
to that wild tribe of Indians the
t loups, will attract our read-
11 is from the pen of a young
r in the army who accompanied
ipedition of mercy, and ivlio da-
i very clearly and creditably
cenei which lie witnessed.
N. Y. American.
MUNICATED Foil T1IF. N. Y. A-
MERICAN.]
of an expedition f o the Pawnee
tribe of Indians, performed in
arch and April 1827.
rly in the spring of 1827, ir.for-
was given to the United
i Indian Agent, at the military
of Council Bluffs, that, in
lianco with a barbarous super-
of the Pawnee Loup Indians,
ale prisoner, captured by a par*
om one of the tribes who rove at
oot of the Rocky Mountains, was
put to death by (he most linger-
ornents. All the efforts of the
~rs residing at their village,
re her frqip so cruel a fate, w ere
ailing, so deeply rooted was the
filial all their success in war
‘ chase depended on the religious
ranee <if a r;(e handed down to
as indispensable and imperative
earliest tradition. This barba
superstition consisted in sacri-
(id flie spring), to “(he Bright
’ or Venus, tho first prisoner
bred on the war path the prcced-
utumn,
runner sent by the traders, in*
i us that the utmost favor that
be obtained from the Great
Chief was a promise to delay
»iCfi/lce for eight days, thereby
I the Whites an opportunity to
®pt ber rescue. Accordingly,
Indian Agents,'attended by it small
tary escort, prepared to prepared
ot out for the Pawnee Loup vil-
• The wiiter, having but little
pledge of the manners mid mode
Wg of the more remote tribes,
Jreling great curiosity to visit
the wildest and most warlike,
•uch singular circumstances,
Wd permission to accompany the
jiqq. Our pffriy, including
•hts, 4e. consisted of 17 persons,
b f fe M4 mounted, some on horses,
, mules, together »vith
8" aunrpler' mules these
r * r « laden with our provisions, Sf
gobih, such ns red cloth, knives,
•» pbwdcr, Vermillion, Ac. ta-
| p*Of¥(»ate (tie favor of the
.jEmbbrovca, without whose aid
< WJbct'fcfci!d tiol he attained.—
On leaving the Bluffs, we at on.be <tu*
ter on those immense Prairies, which,
extend from the Missouri to the
Rocky Mountains; entirely destitute
of timber except on the banks of (he
water co-jises, solitary and still ns a
deser t, this singular and characteris
tic feature of the western regions of
°v.r country strikes the wondering be-
Iruider with mingled sensations; awe
and delight struggle for thfe mastery;
at length the mind is left with a feel
ing of rererence for that Being
“which doelh great things past find
ing out, and wonders without num
ber.” Our journey was diversified
with no remarkable incidents; a few
deer, elk and antelopes crossed our
path, evincing by their extreme shy
ness that the loot of man but seldom
invaded the solitude of their native
deserts. During the whole time
we met hut one human being,
an Indian hunter; we cainc upon him
unexpectedly, and his looks showed
distrust and alarm. I know not ivhy
it is, but when journeying over these
plains, and evsn with a numerous
company, I have always felt a sensa
tion of almost utter loneliness much
more decided than when travelling a*
lone among mountains, or in country
diversified with hill and dale. But,
to return to this digression: here and
there we passed some old camp or
battle ground, the scene of the amica
ble meeting or hostile coqtest of va
rious Indian clans. At one in partic
ular, at the conclusion of a fatiguing
Jay's travel, on fording La Coquille,
a beautiful stream that flows into the
La Pintle, we suddenly came upon a
row of large mound of wattled earth
i ising several feet above tho surface
of the prairic-they were graves, stern
but faithful monitors that discord and
war had disturbed these seemingly
peaceful solitudes, and, at if to add
force to (he lesson thus harshly In
culcated, on looking around me, I dis
cerned suspended on the decayed
trunk of an oak a human skull grin
ning in ghastly mockery, and arrayed
in the gaudy colors of the war paint,
a deep gash oh the forehead showing
lhat (lie warrior had met his death in
battle. YVe afterwards learned that
this was the scene of a bloody fight
between the Pawnees and the O-ma-
has, in which the Pawnees were vic
tors.
We travelled for four days without
meeting with any of those signs uhich
denote an approach to the vicinity of
an Indian village. At length, on the
fifth day, the faintly marked trail
which guided our course became more
distinct; then, instead of one narrow
track; it was increased to three pr
four, and by noon twenty, well beaten
paths, running parallel to each other,
showed that our journey was draw
ing nigh its conclusion. We encamp
ed this night as usual. At noon the
following day we descried the “Lodg
es” of the Grand Pawnees looking
like hillocks or mouuds of earth scat
tered over the surface of the prairie.
As we approached we saw the inhab
itants crowded on the lops of tjicir
lodges, and apparently anxious to
make out who we wore; suddenly a
cloud of smoke arose from the vil
lage; this we were told was to in
form their allies, the VLoups,” whose
village wos ten miles distant, oi the
approach of strangers as friends, and
white men: indeed the extreme watch
fulness of these people would shame
more civilized nations; for iqtles a*
round their villages, op overy hill,
ridge or point or land, that commands
aiews of the adjacent country, watch
es are constantly kept; this is to guard,
agoinst surprize, and is one of the
fust duties taught, tlie young Paivncp
who aspires to become a warrior.—-
In travelling through the prairies the
tradei or hunter often sees the, gigan-
tie outline or a human form distinctly
traced on summit of some hilj in the
distance; for in the prairie, objects
'loom” ns at sea, and appear ofniyyb
more than the ordinary size. The
Indian scouts arc well aware of this,
and therefore keep ns much as possi
ble in the shade, & seldom stand erect
any length of timc.But to return toour
narrative: When within n mile of the
village some 60 or 100 mounted
warriors, nearly naked, and without
saddles, rushed at full speed to meet
us; when within air hundred yards
or so; they zeparated, uttering the
most discordant cries, and wildly ca
reering, performed thq tposU fantast
ic evolutions—now a band would
charge us in front, tossing their spears
in the air and catching them as they
fell; then on a given signal each wild
warrior bowed to his courser’s neck,
uttering the wail of defeat; then they
would encircle us howling like so
many demons, brandishing their lances
and clashing (heir buffalo-hide shields:
anon, ‘hey fled, and formed t.hem-
s Ives some distance frerm us in two
long files on each side of the trail, and
as we passed through each warrior
extended his hand, and uttering his un
couth salutation. Such was the wel
come of the Pawnees, and many an
awkward rider of our parly as he
soothed his frightened horse, wished
that it had not been so boisterous.
After remaining an hour with the
Grand Pawnees, we proceeded to the
village of the “Loups,” where our
journey terminated; and were greet
ed with the same welcome as at the
breach of savage etiqneto not to nc-ltivc. Several presents were distrib
cept it; accordingly we did great in- { uted among the principal chiefs, who
justice to our feelings in doing justice
to the viands placed before ms in bar
barous abundance. How cur stom
achs quaked at seeing prodigious
earthen dishes filled with lycd corn,
buffalo meat, &.C., wldcli we were
expected to empty. There was no
mincing the matter, iyo playing with
the knife &. fork here;in short, we had
to use wooden spoon's, each of which
certainly held aqiirt. At length hav
ing, gorged oursehes to the utmost,
we thought our ticncher toils were
ended; when, oh horrible! another
chief entered and invited us to his
lodge, to go through a similar cere
mony: this was too impel); we appeal
ed to our interpreter in despair, and
requested him ‘c,thank the Brave for
hi* invitation, but to assure him that
tve could not possibly eat another mpr-
sel. On sauntering through the vil
lage, we observed two tall posts,
planted in the ground, tkfwr tops
wound round with cloth and skins,
& crossed by a beam a few feet from
the bottom. This was directly in
front of the “Medicine Lodge,” in
which the unfortunate victim was
confined, and was intended for the.
scaffold.
The poor prisoner had been con
fined for months in this lodge, under
the charge of the “great Medicine
man” or a High Pricjt, who fasted
town of their allies. The most dis- j himself while he fed her on the best
tinguished warriors came out to meet i 'hey had, as it were, fattened her for
us and the Head Chief escorted us to j 'he slaughter. Every evening she
his lodge. Here let us leave our * ,<va8 compelled to dance “death
party for a time, and in the interim I dance,” and si.ig her “scalp song,”
amid (lie shouts of infuriated savages.
will endeavor to give you a descrip
tion of the village of the YY'olf Paw
nees.
Immediately on the left hank of the
Platte, (which is here half a mile
wide,) the traveller discovcis sever
al hillocks resembling ant-hills, scat
tered over the prairie; ns lie ap
proaches, he secs they are conical
mounds of earth, from 40 to CO feet
in height; these are the lodges of the
Pawnee Loups. On advancing still
nearer, the erics, of women, squalling
of children, -and harking of dogs, &c.
soon convince him that these earth
en mounds are the abode of human
beings, that he is in tho vicinity of a
populous village. As the lodges are
similar,; a description of one will an
swer for nil. Conceive a section of
a cylinder, from eighty to hundred
feet in diameter, its elements com
posed of two concentric, circles of
posjs, 15 on20 feet high, now sup
pose the spaces between the posts to
be firmly waffled in with reeds, and
mud; joists are laid horizontally on
the posts, and from (hem spring raf
ters, converging to the apex; these
are crossed by other rafters, and
when the frame work is formed, the
whole is filled in and covered with
earth as before, excepting an aper
ture for light, and the escape of
smoke; the entrance is through a
sort of covered passage in the side of
tho lodge; (lie interior is occupied by
many families. Cribs made of cane,
and lined with mats, run rouud the in
side of the lodge, and foim very com
fortable sleeping places for the in-
inodes. These cribs oro separate
divisions for the different families.—
The floor is malted, and iivilie cen
tre burns the common fire, over
which constantly hang an enormous
kettle fiijled generally, with some of
iheir various savage messes, such as
buffalo, beaver, and elk meat, mixed
with “lyed” corn, squashes o/ beans,
the only vegetables lliese Indians pre
tend to cultivate.
In,a abort time a plentiful repast
was set before us, to which hunger:
pi-pitipjl<^| i/s tp do ample justice, not-
iviihstanditig the qoarseross of the.
cookery, Sic. put wbat was our dir-
may, wheu, after we bad fully,satia-
tefl our, appetites, an invilalia* was
received to frost in another lodge,
and vreweretolf! T»rouI4 h*,f $r*at
I subjoin a description of the intend
ed mode of her execution, ns related
to me by an intelligent trader and
nothing but a reliai ce on his veracity,
and the sight of (lie preparations evi
dently going forward, caused me to
believe that even savagos could per
petrate such horrors. The victim
u as to lie placed in an upright posi-‘
(ion, and secured by the hands and
feel on the scaffold before described;
a slow fire is then kindled beneath,
not sufficiently hot to consume the
flesh, hut so managed as to cause in
tense pain; while suffering this tor
ment, all the hags in the village col
lect, and load her with taunts and
imprecations. In the mean time, one
of the principal Braves assembles a
war paity, to whom are joined nil the
bqys anxious to distinguish themselves
as warriors, armed with bows and
blunted arrows: as they approach the
villages, scouts arc sent out in differ
ent directions, with nil the formali
ties and precaution of actual war; at
length one of the scouts returns with
the intelligence that he has discover
ed the enemy. They then separate
and surround the village; when near
the scaffold, on a given signal, they
shout the War YVhoop, and with deaf
ening cries rush towards tho poor
prisoner: they then step at n consid
erable distance, and the hoys poured
in volleys of arrows; these (being
without bnibs) do not wound serious
ly, but sticking in the flesh cause
very great pain. This ends the first
act of the tragedy. Next, the old
women heal many pieces of iron (such
as arrow heads, knife blades, &c.)
red hot, and apply them at intervals
to different parts of the body: all
this time the fire is kept burning be
neath, and has scorched the legs and
soles of the feci almost to n cinder.—
Thus tho wretched creature endures
many wcory hours of torture, in vain
praying for death ns a release. At
la$t, when the savage chief perceives
that tho viejim of his cruelties will
soon be insensible, and that exhausted
nature cannot much longer suffer, lie
advances with his warriors, and, n-
mid a shower of spears and ar.cws,
ends her woes ami life togeth
er.
Such was the fate from which we
hoped to rescue this miscrabJc cap-
promised to use all their influence in
the council (which was to convene
the next morning) »o prevail cn their
warriors to deliver the prisoner to us;
and as we were fcnrlul ibnt some at
tempt on her life might be rn; de du
ring the night, wc prevailed on llicci
to remove her liem the Medimio
Lodge, and place her under our
charge. Wr now saw the capti'-e
for the flvet time, she art a woman
r-f snipe live ;nu) twenty ycnis of age,
ot a mjld and intelligent, hut by no
means handsome countenance; she
was dressed in a sort of tunic of Elk-
skin, and enveloped in a Buffalo Rohe;
she was evidently fully aware of the
peril of her situation, and on fust en
tering appeared to think that wtf
were to he her executioners, anif
summoned all her Indian stocism lo
ner aid. After sometime, by dint of
signs, &c. we made her comprehend:
that onr object was to save her if
possible. At length, when we were
understood, to my thinking, never a
human being could have evinced a
greater gratitude: there w ere no tran
sports, no sudden bursts of joy, at so
unlocked for a prospect el deliver*
ftncc. She gazed at us steadfastly*
as if to sec that wc were not deeeiv*
ing her; then, and only then, I zaw
(be big drop standing in her eye, amt
but for a moment, a n elancholy smile
jilayed oYf her ivan & sunken feature*.-
' 1 was indeed eloquent; never shall I
forget that smile; the deepest burst
of grief could not be mure exquisite*
ly mournful.
YVe passed a sleepless night in our
lodge, having been kept awake lie
the continual ciies and whoops of the.
Indians; '.he village was evidently in
a state of liigh excitement, but we
hoped that through the influence of
the chiefs and the presents wc in
tended tmlribtiling in conncil on the
morrow, that the pr*scncr would he.
cheerfully delivered to ns. The
morning'came, and after breakfast,
the Indians commenced entering (ho
lodge, which in a short time was
crowded with wariiors. Nothin"-
now hindered our proceeding (o husf
ness but the absence of the “Great
Medicine Man,” under whose rusto-
dy the prisoner had been since her
capture. As he had recommended
her execution as a religions duty, we
apprehended serious obstacles'from
his opposition. A hustle outside at
length announced his appmach. The
tluong made way, and he sprung di
rectly into the centre of the Ied«c,
and stood before us. A more savage
and hideous looking bring could
scarcely he conceived; ho was ap
parently fifty years old, tall, and of a
very dark complexion, much emacia-
,e ‘\ ft* 11 ** the tigid abstinence to
w hich ho had for many weeks sub
jected himself;. his countenance wild
and haggard, his eyes bright and deep
suuk in his head, and ids long hair *
floating in elf locks over his shout*
ders. The legs and feet were bare,
his dress consisting merely of a long
coat, trimmed with red, and !»
blue
fillet encircling his forehead: Mis
first act was to take a small looking-
glass from his bosom, and hold it un
der the aperture in (lie roofofthe
lodge, so a9 to catch the reflection of
the sun, all tho time muttering some
gibberish: (his fasted for some minutes
die Indians view ing his operations in
silent awe, firmly believing he held
direct communion with the great
YVohcondah. He at length announces
(hat the great spirit was pleased, and
approved of their proceedings: after
this farce ho gravely salnled as,
lighted his pipi «t the council firo,
*nd gave three whiffs, toft fe honor of
YVaheondalt upwards, «m to tho spir*
it* «f the Air horizontally, and one
downwards to the spirits under the
Earth, he thou took*ilia «*at; OMtahe
business of tho council coouaeocod. ;